More than Conquerors

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death not life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come not power, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39

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I’ve had this piece on my heart over the past few months, but it wasn’t until I recently read Pilgrim’s Progress that I was able to put charcoal to canvas. It isn’t what I would call a beautiful artwork, which is probably another reason why I had a hard time creating it. I love to fill my life with beautiful things, even my art. More importantly though, I fill my life only with things that mean something to me, that fill my heart, that express who I am and what I am going through. So, while this drawing isn’t a sublime landscape or beautiful illustration, it instead expresses the anguish over evil and yearning for God’s guidance I have had in my heart.

I think anyone who has made it through the past couple years will relate to what I am saying in some way. There have been times where I felt beaten on every side, used by those in higher authority than me, gaslighted into thinking I am crazy, and exhausted from the constant news and propaganda of what’s either going to kill me, save me, take away my rights, or take away the rights of others. I’ve been told that I have a voice, don’t have the right to speak, am evil for not speaking up for others, and simultaneously do and don’t have the right to decide what happens to my own body. What an exhausting way to live, constantly worried about the opinions and threats of others. From the rise of depression, anxiety, and suicide sweeping this nation, I estimate that many others have felt these same pressures, yet this is not the way of a true Christian.

Have we so quickly forgotten whose we are? I am preaching to myself now. We are called to such a higher existence than the fear and dread of what’s to come. In fact, I think we should expect hardships and pain. There are centuries of Christians that have come before us, willing to die and suffer on account of Christ. Are we to expect lives called to lower purposes than these? “Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated- of whom the world was not worthy.” Hebrews 11:36-38

We are called to live lives ready of the same destiny as these believers who died before us. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we accept the pain, rejection, affliction, persecution, and martyrdom that may come with being different than the world. Hasn’t the past two years revealed those who stand for righteousness and those who sit in the lukewarm pot? Now is the time to fight for what is holy and good, but we can’t do that when we cower under the fear of the opinions of others, rejection of friends, and hatred towards those leading our country. No, we are called to live lives worthy of so much more. For we should only be concerned with the Home that awaits us.

Governments, dictators, empires, kings, tyrants, and presidents have risen and fallen over night. That is the way of this world and its history, but we have a God who remains forever. So whatever our society deems acceptable be it lying, stealing, adultery, gender reidentification, mandates, racism, abortion, porn, pedophilia, etc., we will continue to stand firm in the word of God fighting for what is pure and right in His eyes alone, even if that means losing our friends, homes, family, jobs, or lives. We will not buckle or bend at our current pain, for our God will provide when the time is right. This is not our home, we are not defeated, we are a part of a royal priesthood, and we are children of the Creator of the universe.